India needs a national aviation policy: IATA

Tony Tyler, Director-General of International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in Delhi on March 26 that India should formulate a national aviation policy to facilitate growth in the sector. The call is not for special favours or preferential treatment, Tyler said at the inaugural Aviation Day India meet.

The IATA head was of the view that the agenda to improve infrastructure, reduce costs and evolve a more reasonable taxation structure was absolutely critical to India’s long-term success. Pointing out that security was a top priority not only of governments but also airlines, the IATA chief was of the opinion that the current one-size-fits all prospective approach to security for both cargo and passengers is not sustainable.

The IATA DG also proposed to urgently combine forces to modernise cargo processes. In 2008, it was collectively said goodbye to paper tickets. By 2015, IATA is trying to do the same with cargo with 100 per cent conversion to e-air way bills — an important step in the overall e-freight vision. It is incredible that in the Internet age, 50 million tonne of air cargo shipment still rely largely on paper-based processes, Tyler said.